The Fans voice.
Fraser MacDonald, gives his Verdict on the clubs and players to look out for in 2003/04.
Fraser MacDonald
SPL Positions:-
Here are my rambling predictions for this coming season. .
1st Celtic Only an arduous UEFA Cup campaign stopped them from retaining the title last year. Their squad lacks depth, but this has not been a problem before, whereas Rangers have lost several key players. A switch from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 could prove decisive. 2nd Rangers If they’re not 1st, they have to be second. Massive debts mean the squad is unlikely to be bolstered much between now and August. Zura will be a huge asset in defence or midfield, but they will longer involvement in the Champions League help or hinder? 3rd Hearts Comfortably third last year, and have added astute signings like Kinsboro, Wyness and Hartley. A new training complex at Riccarton may produce youth in future years, but for now may improve their matchday preparations as they consolidate third place. 4th Dundee Strangely quiet on the transfer front, until you consider we’ve only lost one player and have quite a bit of squad depth. Didn’t really start playing last season until January, and the fixture list has set up a great start to 03/04. Quality, sure. Consistency, at last? 5th Kilmarnock Dour as always, but Jim Jeffries has always produced sides which grind out results. Not much transfer activity, but unlike many clubs Killie are not saddled with a huge debt. Logical or not, they always seem to make the top 6, so I won’t bet against them. 6th Dundee United Ian McCall has a great track record and did well to steady a sinking ship last year. With virtually a new team, and his own choice of players this time around, United can hardly fail to improve. Their one fault could be a lack of firepower – Miller up front? 7th Aberdeen
The Pars are, like Killie, always contenders for the top six. Last season they relied heavily on the threat of Brewster and Crawford, but leaked goals galore. Brewster’s purple patch may be over, and Rossi’s return can only bring disharmony. Bottom six. 9th Hibernian Probably still have the quality to amass a fair few points, but they’ve lost half a team in the close season. Last year they looked at times like conceding a dozen, and they may well take a few hammerings. Safe from relegation, but no sunshine on Leith. 10th Partick Thistle They seemed solid enough to retain SPL status last year, and are likely to be satisfied with the same achievement in 03/04 after investing in more ground development. But they’ve lost a few players, mostly to United, and more importantly, have lost Lambie. 11th Livingston Will the man from Brazil repeat the achievements of two years ago? This is a tricky one and the Lions may well leave me with egg on my face. But as a pundit you have to rubbish any team that goes for a Latin manager and a continental experiment, don’t you? 12th Motherwell Motherwell played some nice football at times, and I was surprised they were so far adrift last year. But their own fans were not, apparently, and with administration still clouding Fir Park, I can’t see room for optimism. Butcher will be first for the chop. Final Dundee 1-0 Rangers Dundee are due a good run, and will benefit from a bye to the 3rd round due to UEFA Cup commitments. Rangers have won every domestic trophy since McLeish arrived, and he’ll want to keep the momentum going in this one. Revenge will be sweet nine months on from our last Hampden visit. Semi-Finals Rangers 4-1 Falkirk Dundee 3-2 Hearts (aet) Final Rangers 2-1 Celtic Celtic will win the league and after losing to the Dees in the CIS, this is Rangers last chance of a trophy. They’ll keep a little pride from an otherwise disappointing season. Celtic will be glad to have secured the championship and will take their eyes off the ball in the season finale. Semi-Finals Rangers 2-0 Dunfermline (replay after 1-1 draw) Celtic 3-1 Dundee United Final Roma 2-1 Auxerre Dundee will make it past Christmas, but will lose in the third round as the team runs out of luck and the fans out of cash!
Predictions for season 2003-04
Cup Predictions
CIS Insurance Cup
Tennents Scottish Cup
UEFA Cup